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MATTHEW MURPHY

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Push Da Button
The Color Purple’s Carla R. Stewart steps into
some big shoes, but says she’ll put her own footprint
on the sexiness that is Shug Avery.
By Julie Bookman
6 ENCOREATLANTA.COM

MATTHEW MURPHY

The Color Purple — the musical and the novel
— traces 40 years of hardships faced by AfricanAmerican women in the South in the first half of the
20th century, including poverty, sexism, racism, rape,
incest and domestic violence.

J

ennifer Hudson, Heather Headley,

Jennifer Holliday.

One after another, those dynamos played the supporting
role of sultry singer Shug (pronounced like “sugar”) Avery in
the recent Broadway revival of The Color Purple.
All are showstoppers. Any one of them is a tough act to
follow. But Carla R. Stewart welcomes the challenge. She
must have some kind of courage to take on a role handled by
such luminaries.
“Yeah, I think I’m brave,” says Stewart. “Life has only
shown me that I just gotta get in the ring and fight. If
you come to New York to try to make it, that alone is
ballsy. Then it’s also pretty easy to get stifled by other
people’s talent and then not get in that ring because you’re
intimidated.”
Shug has that “certain something that people are
attracted to,” Stewart says. It’s “that star quality.”
“Everybody loves Shug,” you’ll hear. “Ain’t no other woman like
Shug.”
“It’s your own essence that you bring to it,” Stewart says.
“Jennifer Hudson was a little bit slinky. Heather Headley
was very stern, more direct. Jennifer Holliday was very
funny, she brought more quirkiness to the character. I think
I play on the sexy of who Shug is. Even though she’s broken,
she’s the ‘it’ girl and she knows it. Even the women who hate
her can’t help loving her.”
ATLANTA’S PERFORMING ARTS PUBLICATION

7

8 ENCOREATLANTA.COM

In the show-stopping number “Push Da Button,” Shug
cuts loose. “I come to have a party there,” Stewart says. “I’m
flirting with the men and teaching the women along the
way.”
The Color Purple, which won the 2016 Tony Award for best
musical revival, closed in January. Atlanta is the third stop
on a 30-city national tour. As on Broadway, it’s a pareddown interpretation by director John Doyle, who has taken
a similar approach with revivals of Stephen Sondheim’s
Sweeney Todd and Company.
The musical is based on Alice Walker’s 1982 novel,
which spans 40 years and traces the hardships that AfricanAmerican women in the South faced in the first half of 20thcentury — poverty, sexism, racism, rape, incest and domestic
violence. As you may recall, the show was developed in 2004
at the Alliance Theatre, then tweaked a bit for its 2005
Broadway opening.
The expansive original staging earned 11 Tony
nominations (and a win for lead actress LaChanze, who
played Celie). By the time it closed three years later, it had
grossed more than $103 million.
The New York Times’ Ben Brantley reviewed both,
calling the revival “a slim, fleet-footed beauty, simply attired
and beguilingly modest” yet holding “a deep wealth of power
within its restraint.”
This version is no spectacle, Stewart says. “You hear the
juiciness in the words and in the language. That’s the heart
of the show.”
In shaping the revival, Doyle says he “just looked at the
text and saw what I needed to see from it. I treat it as a new
play or a new piece.”

MATTHEW MURPHY

This staging of The Color
Purple, a pared-down
interpretation by awardwinning director John
Doyle, won the 2016 Tony
Award for best musical
revival as well as critical
and popular acclaim.

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Atlanta’s J.D. Kellum, a real estate agent by day and a
theatergoer by night, saw all three versions: the Alliance
world premiere, its Broadway transfer and this revival.
“Each one unforgettable,” he says. “To me, the magic of
this show is in the way these gals know how to withhold.”
Kellum appreciates Doyle’s pulled-back interpretation.
The minimalism of the set and the paring down of other
elements, he says, “yield a maximum effect in amplifying the
story and characters.”
Stewart, a lifelong Chicagoan from a big singing family,
performed in the revival from opening night to closing
night. As an ensemble member, she took on smaller roles
(Church Lady) and understudied Shug and Sofia. The Color
Purple was her Broadway debut.
She went on as Shug about a dozen times, “but never for
Jennifer Hudson, because she never missed a performance.”
About owning the role now, she says, “I feel like a kid
going back to school, the kid who’s so excited to be back, to
build the show all over again, to meet new friends and be
with my old friends.”
Perhaps the high point from her Broadway experience?
“What comes to mind is a rehearsal,” she says, “shortly
before we opened. Alice Walker sat in, and she was so
pleased with the direction that John Doyle was going in. She
said she felt like she was watching her book come to life.”

MATTHEW MURPHY

When novelist Alice
Walker attended a preBroadway rehearsal of
this staging of The Color
Purple, she reportedly
said it was like watching
her book come to life.

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FOR INFORMATION regarding corporate partnerships and promotional
opportunities with Broadway in Atlanta, please call 404.873.4300.
We are delighted to have you join us for The Color Purple, the second title in the 2017/18
Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta season. We’d also like to share with you a little about
our partnership with MVK of Greater Atlanta.
Live sports and entertainment provide a positive source of inspiration for children in a
world with many negative alternatives. Most Valuable Kids Inc. (MVK) brings this inspiration
to underserved kids in the greater Atlanta area by offering children’s organizations access
to professional and collegiate sports and entertainment events through an online ticket
donation and reward system. To learn more visit www.mostvaluablekids.org.
Our next show is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies, running Nov. 28-Dec 3. Learn
more about our 17/18 lineup at www.broadwayinatlanta.com. Thank you, and enjoy the show.
Watch exclusive videos, become a fan, follow us and visit us online:
BroadwayAtlanta

THERE WILL BE ONE 20-MINUTE INTERMISSION
SETTING
The story takes place in Georgia between 1909 and 1949.
The use of any recording device, either audio or video, and the taking of photographs, either
with or without flash, is strictly prohibited by law. Please turn off all electronic devices such as
cellular phones, beepers and watches prior to the beginning of the performance.
18 ENCOREATLANTA.COM

BRIT WEST (Ensemble/Church Lady; u/s Shug
Avery, u/s Sofia). Broadway: The Color Purple.
Tours: Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Legally Blonde,
Dreamgirls. Regional favorites: West Side Story
(Hollywood Bowl); Sister Act (Fulton Theatre,
Arvada Center); Rent (John Engeman Theatre).
TV: “Power” and “Flesh & Bone.” Infinite thanks
to the WFM, Telsey + Co. and WAM. IG: brit_
west For Gma.
NIKISHA WILLIAMS (Swing/Assistant Stage
Manager; u/s Celie, u/s Nettie, u/s Squeak u/s Church
Lady, u/s Olivia) is honored to join the cast of
this incredible production. Nikisha comes from
Mobile, Ala., and studied vocal performance at
the University of Southern Mississippi. Regional:
Memphis, Hairspray. Thanks to my parents for
their support and love. Philippians 4:13.
MICHAEL WORDLY (Swing; u/s Bobby/Buster,
u/s Pa, u/s Guard, u/s Preacher/Ol’Mister, u/s Adam,
u/s Grady). National tour: The Little Mermaid
u/s Sebastion (5th Avenue Theatre). Regional:
Memphis (Gator), Smokey Joe’s Cafe (Adrian), Aida
(Mereb) and Hairspray (Seaweed). Giving honor
and thanks to God for all his blessings! Many
thanks to my family, Gregg Baker Management,
Telsey + Co., & Mr. John Rose.
www.MichaelWordly.com. Proverbs 3:5.
ALICE WALKER (Original Author) won the
Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award
for her third novel, The Color Purple, which was
made into an internationally popular film by
Steven Spielberg. Her other best-selling novels,
which have been translated into more than
two dozen languages, include By the Light of My
Father’s Smile, Possessing the Secret of Joy and The

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Temple of My Familiar. Her most recent novel,
Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart, was published
in 2004. Ms. Walker also has written several
collections of short stories, essays and poems as
well as children’s books. Her work has appeared
in numerous national and international
journals and magazines. An activist and social
visionary, . Walker’s advocacy on behalf of the
dispossessed has, in the words of her biographer,
Evelyn C. White, “spanned the globe.”
MARSHA NORMAN (Book) won a Pulitzer
Prize for her play ’night, Mother, a Tony for
The Secret Garden and a Tony nomination for
her book of The Color Purple. Ms. Norman is
co-chair of playwriting at Juilliard and serves
on the Steering Committee of the Dramatists
Guild. She has numerous film and TV credits,
as well as a Peabody for her work in TV. She
has won numerous awards, including the Inge
Lifetime Achievement in Playwriting. She is
also president of the Lilly Awards Foundation,
a nonprofit honoring women in theater and
working for gender parity nationwide.
BRENDA RUSSELL (Composer/Lyricist). The
Brooklyn-born singer/songwriter and author
of “Piano in the Dark,” “If Only for One Night”
and “Get Here.” Brenda has collaborated with
Sting; Mary J. Blige; Stevie Wonder; Chaka
Khan; Tina Turner; Donna Summer; Michael
McDonald; Ray Charles; Earth, Wind & Fire;
Luther Vandross; Diana Ross; and Patti LaBelle,
among many others. She was nominated for
three Grammys for 1988’s “Piano in the Dark.”
Since 1979 she has recorded eight solo albums,
releasing Between the Sun and the Moon in 2004.
Her work has been featured in the movies How
Stella Got Her Groove Back and Liberty Heights.
www.brendarussell.com
ALLEE WILLIS (Composer/Lyricist) has sold
more than 50 million records, including
“September,” “Boogie Wonderland,” “Neutron
Dance” and “What Have I Done to Deserve
This?” She has a Grammy for the Beverly Hills
Cop soundtrack and an Emmy nomination
for the “Friends” theme song. She’s an awardwinning artist, performer, multimediaist,
writer and director. Willis prototyped a social
network in 1992 and addressed Congress on
cyberspace in 1997. She’s working on a massive
project for Detroit, including a song performed
by 7,000 people, and the feature documentary,
Allee Willis Loves Detroit. She is also on the TV
series “Storage Wars.” www.alleewillis.com

STEPHEN BRAY (Composer/Lyricist) made his
Broadway debut with The Color Purple in 2005.
After training at Berklee College of Music,
he wrote and produced Top 10 recordings
for Madonna including “Into the Groove,”
“Papa Don’t Preach,” “True Blue” and “Express
Yourself.” Performing with Breakfast Club, he
earned a Grammy nomination for best new
artist. He has written and produced for such
multiplatinum artists as Gladys Knight and Kylie
Minogue. Stephen’s latest venture, Masterphonic,
provides storytellers with original music and
reimagined classics. He thanks Mom and Dad for
blasting Broadway cast albums and insisting on
those piano lessons.
JOHN DOYLE (Direction/Set Design/Musical
Staging). Broadway: Sweeney Todd (Tony and
Drama Desk awards for best director of a
musical); Company (Tony Award for best musical
revival); A Catered Affair (Drama League Award
for best musical production); The Visit (Tony
nomination for best musical), The Color Purple
(Tony Award for best musical revival, Drama
Desk Award for best director of a musical).
Off-Broadway: Wings (Second Stage); Road
Show (Public Theater); Where’s Charley?, Irma La
Douce (City Center Encores!). Regional: Kiss Me,
Kate (Stratford Festival); The Caucasian Chalk
Circle (A.C.T.); Merrily We Roll Along, The Three
Sisters (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park); Ten
Cents a Dance (Williamstown Theatre Festival);
The Exorcist (L.A.). In the U.K.,John has been
artistic director of four regional theaters.
Numerous credits include The Gondoliers, Mack
and Mabel (West End); A Midsummer Night’s Dream
(Regent’s Park); Oklahoma! (Chichester); Amadeus
(Wilton’s Musical Hall). Opera includes Lucia di
Lammermoor (Sydney Opera House), Peter Grimes
(Metropolitan Opera), The Rise and Fall of the City
of Mahogany (LA Opera). John is artistic director
of CSC in New York City, where productions
include Passion, Allegro, Peer Gynt, Dead Poets
Society, Pacific Overtures and As You Like It.
ANN HOULD-WARD (Costume Designer).
Select Broadway: The Color Purple, The Visit, The
People in the Picture; A Free Man of Color (Drama
Desk nomination), A Catered Affair (Drama
Desk nomination), Beauty and the Beast (Tony
Award), Into the Woods (Tony and Drama Desk
nominations), Falsettos, Sunday in the Park With
George (Tony and Drama Desk nominations);
Saint Joan; Little Me. Off-Broadway: Pacific
Overtures, Classic Stage Company; Dead Poets
Society, Classic Stage Company; Notes From
the Field, Second Stage; Passion, Classic Stage
ATLANTA’S PERFORMING ARTS PUBLICATION 23

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Company; Russian Transport; The Blue Flower; Road
Show; Lobster Alice; Cymbeline. Ms. Hould-Ward’s
work can be seen in more than 35 international
companies of Beauty and the Beast; other designs
are featured in shows all over the world. She has
more than 100 regional theater credits. Recipient
of the Fashion Institute of Technology’s Patricia
Zipprodt Award.
JANE COX (Lighting Designer). Previous
collaborations with John Doyle include Pacific
Overtures, Peer Gynt, Allegro and Passion at
Classic Stage Company; The Color Purple on
Broadway and in London; Road Show; and Lucia
di Lammermoor. Recent theater includes Jitney
and Amelie on Broadway; Othello at NYTW;
Hamlet in London; and Machinal and All the Way
on Broadway. Jane has been nominated for two
Tony awards, is a member of the Monica Bill
Barnes Company and the director of the theater
program at Princeton University.
DAN MOSES SCHREIER (Sound Designer).
Broadway: Falsettos, American Psycho, The Visit,
Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Sondheim
on Sondheim, A Little Night Music, Gypsy (Patti
LuPone), A Catered Affair, Radio Golf, John
Doyle’s production of Sweeney Todd, Gem of
the Ocean, Pacific Overtures, Assassins, Into the
Woods, Topdog/Underdog, Dirty Blonde, Noise/
Funk. He has composed scores for the Broadway
productions of Merchant of Venice (Al Pacino),
Julius Caesar (Denzel Washington), The Tempest
(Patrick Stewart). Awards: Four Tony Award
nominations, four Drama Desk awards. Dan is
composing a musical with Brian Selznick (The
Invention of Hugo Cabret), based on Brian’s book
The Houdini Box and commissioned by La Jolla
Playhouse.
CHARLES G. LaPOINTE (Wig & Hair Design).
More than 50 Broadway shows including Amelié,
SpongeBob Squarepants, The Band’s Visit, On Your
Feet!, Hamilton, Doctor Zhivago, The Color Purple, Of
Mice and Men, Violet, Side Show, The Elephant Man,
After Midnight, Beautiful, A Gentleman’s Guide to
Love and Murder, Motown, Jekyll & Hyde, Clybourne
Park, Bring It On, Newsies, The Mountaintop,
Memphis, Lombardi, Fences, In the Heights, Jersey
Boys, A Raisin in the Sun. Emmy nominee for “The
Wiz Live!”
CATHERINE JAYES (Music Supervisor). Music
supervisor/orchestrator. Merrily We Roll Along/
Menier & West End (Olivier: best musical
production); She Loves Me, Road Show/Menier;
Crazy for You, Calamity Jane/Watermill & U.K.
24 ENCOREATLANTA.COM

tour. Was music director of Open Air London
for 20 years. Musicals conducted/orchestrated:
High Society, Lady Be Good, Boys From Syracuse
(directed by Judi Dench, winner Olivier best
musical revival). As composer: A Christmas Carol
(RSC 2017/18), An Ideal Husband (Chichester), The
Letter (Wyndham’s), The Mandate (National), Great
Expectations (RSC), The Duchess of Malfi, Changeling,
Cymbeline (Cheek by Jowl). Films: Stoker, Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory, De-Lovely. Catherine is
an associate director at Cheek by Jowl. She was
MD at the Open Air from 1987 to 2007.
MATT DiCARLO (Associate Director). As
the production stage manager, Matt helmed
this production for its Broadway run. Other
Broadway credits: The Play That Goes Wrong,
Honeymoon in Vegas, Rock of Ages. Off-Broadway:
Piece of My Heart. Regional: Up Here (La Jolla
Playhouse) and more than 12 productions at
Paper Mill Playhouse, including The Sound of
Music, Peter Pan and Little Shop of Horrors. Matt
is on the board of directors for On Broadway
Performing Arts Training Program and teaches
on the faculty at SUNY Purchase.
DARRYL ARCHIBALD (Music Director/
Conductor). Motown the Musical (Broadway and
national tour); Wicked at the Pantages Theater
(substitute conductor); Memphis Broadway tour;
Dreamgirls national tour (associate conductor);
Disney’s The Lion King Broadway tour (vocal
coach/assistant conductor); Dear World with
Tyne Daly (VPAC); Jonathan Dove’s Innocence
(Banff Centre and Manhattan Theatre Club);
Two by Two with Jason Alexander, How to Succeed
with John O’Hurley, The Fantasticks with Eric
McCormack, Once on This Island with Ledisi,
Li’l Abner with Cathy Rigby and Fred Willard
(Reprise); Great Expectations, My Fair Lady, 1776,
Camelot and Forever Plaid (Utah Shakespearean
Festival); “A Hollywood Holiday Celebration”
(ABC television), The Fountain Show and
Christmas Trolley Show (The Grove Los Angeles).
JOSEPH JOUBERT (Orchestrator). Credits as
orchestrator, arranger, conductor, musical
director include Broadway’s Violet; Motown the
Musical; Nice Work If You Can Get It; Leap of Faith;
Caroline, or Change; The Color Purple; Billy Elliot.
TV: “Smash.” Film: Nights in Rodanthe. Recording:
Fantasia, Broadway Inspirational Voices, Patti
LaBelle, Ashford & Simpson, Diana Ross.
Grammy, Emmy and Drama Desk award nominee.

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TALITHA FEHR (Music Coordinator) has worked
on more than 50 national and international tours
and productions, highlights include Sister Act,
Mamma Mia!, Come Fly Away, School of Rock and
the 2010 Vancouver Olympics Ceremonies. She
dedicates her work on The Color Purple to the
memory of Sam Lutfiyya.
TELSEY + COMPANY (Casting). Broadway/
tours: SpongeBob SquarePants, Once on This Island,
The Parisian Woman, M. Butterfly, Anastasia, Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory, Hello, Dolly!, War Paint,
Come From Away, Waitress, Hamilton, Kinky Boots,
Wicked, On Your Feet!, Something Rotten!, The King
and I, An American in Paris. Film: Miss Sloane, Into
the Woods, Margin Call, Rachel Getting Married,
Across the Universe, Camp, Pieces of April. TV: “This
Is Us,” “NCIS: New Orleans,” “House of Cards,”
“Rise,” “I’m Dying Up Here,” “One Day at a Time,”
“Graves,” “Atypical,” commercials.
www.telseyandco.com
RANDY COHEN (Keyboard Programmer) has
programmed more than 50 Broadway shows,
including Hamilton, On Your Feet!, Allegiance, Kinky
Boots, The Book of Mormon, In the Heights, Motown
the Musical, Pippin, Rock of Ages, If/Then, Bring It On,
Peter and the Starcatcher, American Idiot, Elf, Young
Frankenstein and Grey Gardens. TV: “Sesame Street.”
THOMAS SCHALL (Fight Consultant). More than
50 Broadway shows: Blackbird, The Crucible, China
Doll, Allegiance, The King and I, This Is Our Youth, Of
Mice and Men, Romeo and Juliet, Lucky Guy, Death of
a Salesman, Venus in Fur, War Horse, The Merchant of
Venice, After Miss Julie, A View From the Bridge, Mary
Stuart.
JIM LANAHAN (General Manager) has spent 20+
years managing and marketing Broadway tours.
First national tours: School of Rock, The Bodyguard,
Footloose, Titanic, Elton John & Tim Rice’s Aida, The
Lion King, War Horse and Jersey Boys. Additional
selected: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Les
Misérables, Billy Elliot and The Phantom of the Opera.
Most recently Jim served as marketing director for
all domestic and international tours of Blue Man
Group. #TLJL
BRIAN SCHRADER (Company Manager) is
excited to be on the road with The Color Purple. He
previously worked in the Troika Entertainment
GM office on the national tours of An American
in Paris, 42nd Street, Annie (Singapore & Jakarta),
Dancing Pros Live, Bring It On (Japan), Ghost, Mike
Tyson’s: Undisputed Truth, Priscilla Queen of the Desert,
West Side Story and Catch Me If You Can. Proud

graduate of Loyola University New Orleans with a
degree in theater arts and business administration.
MELISSA CHACÓN (Production Stage Manager).
National tours: The Bodyguard, The Bridges of
Madison County, We Will Rock You, Billy Elliot, Contact
and Rent. Off-Broadway: Avenue Q. Regional
credits include The Iceman Cometh at BAM with
Nathan Lane and Brian Dennehy, Les Misérables
and Shida. She has an M.F.A. in stage management
from Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of
the Arts.
CHRISTINE D’AMORE (Stage Manager). New
York: The Color Purple and Les Misérables. More than
15 City Center Encores! productions and Encores
Off-Center, Lincoln Center, Signature Theatre,
Public Theater and Primary Stages. Regional:
Berkeley Rep, Hartford Stage and Westport
Playhouse.
BOND THEATRICAL GROUP (Marketing &
Publicity Direction) is a fully independent booking,
marketing and publicity company for live
entertainment. Booking and marketing projects
include Blue Man Group; Cats; Natasha, Pierre and
the Great Comet of 1812. Marketing and publicity
projects include Anastasia; Amélie; Cabaret; Dear
Evan Hansen; Dirty Dancing; Escape to Margaritaville;
Fiddler on the Roof; Half Time; Dr. Seuss’ How the
Grinch Stole Christmas! the Musical and marketing
services for The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.
THE BOOKING GROUP (Tour Booking Agency).
Since its inception in 1996, the Booking Group has
represented 24 Tony Award-winning best musicals
and plays. Titles now touring include An American
in Paris, The Book of Mormon, The Bodyguard,
Roundabout Theatre Company’s Cabaret, Rodger’s
& Hammerstein’s Cinderella, The Curious Incident
of the Dog in the Night-Time, Finding Neverland, Fun
Home, Hamilton, The Humans, Hal Holbrook: Mark
Twain Tonight!, Motown the Musical, On Your Feet!,
Rent: 20th Anniversary Tour, Something Rotten, School
of Rock, Waitress, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas and
The Wizard of Oz. Future projects include Anastasia,
Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Escape to
Margaritaville, Fiddler on the Roof, Groundhog Day the
Musical, Hello, Dolly!, Monty Python’s Spamalot, The
Play That Goes Wrong and The Scenario.
SCOTT SANDERS PRODUCTIONS (Producer).
Created the 2005 production and 2015 Tony
and Grammy Award-winning revival of The
Color Purple as a Broadway stage musical. Scott
Sanders Productions is the Tony- and Emmy
Award-winning theater, film and TV company
that launched, developed and produced such
ATLANTA’S PERFORMING ARTS PUBLICATION 25

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shows as After Midnight (seven Tony nominations
2014), Evita starring Ricky Martin, The Pee-wee
Herman Show (Broadway and Los Angeles) and
Elaine Stritch: At Liberty. Projects in development
include the stage musicals Tootsie and Coal
Miner’s Daughter, and the feature film of In
the Heights. Scott Sanders Productions is a
subsidiary of Westfield Corp., a global leader
in the design, development and operation
of iconic retail and leisure destinations that
integrate world-class fashion, dining, events,
entertainment and cutting-edge technology
within modern cityscapes — including in
London, Milan, Los Angeles, San Francisco and
New York City, under the magnificent roof of
the Oculus at Westfield World Trade Center.
ROY FURMAN (Producer). Currently on
Broadway: Dear Evan Hansen (Tony Award),
Hello, Dolly! (Tony), The Book of Mormon (Tony),
The Band’s Visit, Cats. Other productions: An
American in Paris, The Curious Incident of the
Dog in the Night-Time (Tony), A Raisin in the
Sun (Tony), Skylight (Tony), War Horse (Tony),
West Side Story, The History Boys (Tony), Gypsy,
Spamalot (Tony), Lucky Guy, Fosse (Tony).
Mr. Furman co-founded the international
investment firm Furman Selz, is now vice
chairman of Jefferies LLC and chairman of
Jefferies Capital Partners. Vice chairman
of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts,
president and chairman emeritus of the Film
Society of Lincoln Center.
TROIKA ENTERTAINMENT (Executive
Producer, General Manager, Production Manager)
has been an innovator in touring musical
theater productions for more than two
decades, producing shows throughout North,
Central and South America, Europe and Asia.
The company also is experienced in casino
and leisure markets. Current and upcoming
productions include An American in Paris, The
Bodyguard, Love Never Dies, On Your Feet!, School
of Rock, The Color Purple, Kinky Boots and the
Asian tour of Sister Act. With strong ties to the
Broadway community, TROIKA prides itself on
delivering top quality productions to audiences
worldwide. Please visit us at www.troika.com
RANDALL A. BUCK (Producer) has produced
more than 50 productions worldwide for
TROIKA Entertainment. Before joining
TROIKA in 1999, Buck was vice president and
general manager for Livent in Toronto. While
with Livent, he managed such productions
as Fosse, Ragtime, Show Boat, Music of the Night
26 ENCOREATLANTA.COM

and Kiss of the Spider Woman. Buck was a stage
manager for more than 20 years, surviving a
year with Mary Martin and Carol Channing
in Jimmy Kirkwood’s Legends!, a year in Japan
with Siegfried & Roy, opening The Phantom of
the Opera Music Box Company and opening
Show Boat on Broadway. Since beginning as
an apprentice with the Kenley Players in the
late 1960s, he has had the privilege of working
closely with such visionaries as Twyla Tharp,
Susan Stroman, Hal Prince, Joe Layton and
Josh Logan, plus hundreds of stars. Buck had
the privilege of recently serving on the board
for the National Alliance of Music Theater. He
is living happily-ever-after in the Washington,
D.C., area with his wife, Angela, and their
daughter Sierra Ashley Buck.
DAVID BABANI (Producer) is the founder
and artistic director of the Menier Chocolate
Factory in London.
TOM SIRACUSA (Producer) has been the
general manager of the Menier Chocolate
Factory and its 14 subsequent West End
transfers since 2006. Previously, he was
associate producer for Bill Kenwright on such
productions as Hay Fever, starring Judi Dench
(West End); Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (West End
and Broadway); The Glass Menagerie; and Primo
(Broadway). He was general manager for The
Lady From Dubuque (West End), starring Maggie
Smith.
THE MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY
(Original Production) opened in 2004 and is one
of London’s most-honored producing venues.
Twenty productions have transferred to the
West End and four to Broadway: The Color Purple
(Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Musical and
Best Actress in a Musical), La Cage aux Folles
(three Tony Awards including Best Revival of
a Musical), A Little Night Music (Tony Award for
Best Actress in a Musical) and Sunday in the Park
with George (nine Tony nominations). In London,
La Cage won the Olivier Award for Best Revival
of a Musical as well as the Critics’ Circle Award,
as did Sunday in the Park with George and Merrily
We Roll Along. The Menier’s production of Tom
Stoppard’s Travesties will transfer to Broadway
in February 2018.
CAIOLA PRODUCTIONS (Producer) is the
Tony-winning brother-and-sister producing
team of Luigi and Rose Caiola. Rose is artistic
director of Manhattan Movement & Arts
Center. Recent credits: Glengarry Glen Ross,

BIOS
All the Way, An American in Paris, The Elephant
Man, On Your Feet!, Fiddler on the Roof. This
season: Dear Evan Hansen; Les Liaison Dangereuses;
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812; and
Burn This.
JAMES FANTACI (Producer). Jim and his wife,
Anna, were producers of the original The Color
Purple when it debuted on Broadway 12 years
ago. He was also involved with the successful
London production. He is pleased to be part
of the effort to bring this powerful show to
audiences across America.
TED LIEBOWITZ (Producer). Broadway
productions include The Heiress, Cinderella, Big
Fish and After Midnight. Feature films include The
Illusionist and Gray Matters. Serial internet and
telecom entrepreneur. Founder of the Liebowitz
Entrepreneur Program at Brooklyn College.
Love and thanks to my supportive family and to
the wonderful cast, crew and fellow producers.
JAMES L. NEDERLANDER (Producer).
President of the Nederlander Organization.
Producing credits include The Elephant Man
(Bradley Cooper), On Your Feet! The Story of
Emilio and Gloria Estefan, Kinky Boots, I’ll Eat You
Last (Bette Midler), Romeo and Juliet (Orlando
Bloom), Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth, West Side
Story, Movin’ Out, Million Dollar Quartet and Who’s
Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, among many others.
DARREN BAGERT (Producer) is a fourtime Tony Award-winning producer. After
producing over 20 projects, his most recent
include Dear Evan Hansen (Bway/Upcoming
Tour), An American in Paris (Bway/London/
Tour), The Truth (London), Travesties (London),
The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey (NY/
Tour), Buyer & Cellar (NY/London/Tour), Side
Show (Bway), and upcoming Ain’t Too Proud–The
Temptations Musical.
CANDY SPELLING (Producer). Author,
television producer and philanthropist, Candy
Spelling has produced the Tony-winning
musicals Promises, Promises; How to Succeed in
Business Without Really Trying; Nice Work If You
Can Get It; and After Midnight. She is a board
member of the Los Angeles World Affair
Council, the UCLA Health System Board and
the American Humane Society.
ADAM ZOTOVICH (Producer). Productions
include Dear Evan Hansen, Of Mice and Men, A
View From the Bridge, Driving Miss Daisy, All My

Sons, The Addams Family, Evita and An American
in Paris. Crain’s NY Business “40 Under 40,”
president of New Vintage Theatricals Ltd.
ERIC FALKENSTEIN / MORRIS BERCHARD
(Producer) Eric works in issue-driven theater,
film and human rights-related events. He is
working with associates of the Rev. Martin
Luther King Jr. on a play about his life’s work.
Morris’ Broadway credits include Something
Rotten!, Hand to God, It’s Only a Play, The
Performers, Ragtime, Impressionism, The Little
Dog Laughed. Currently: Ride the Cyclone (a new
musical) and Counting Sheep (an immersive folk
opera).
JUST FOR LAUGHS THEATRICALS
(Producer). CEO Adam Blanshay, chairman
Gilbert Rozon. More than 40 theater
productions worldwide, including the Tonywinning play The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time and the Olivier-winning musical
Sunny Afternoon. Full bio: www.hahaha.com/jflt.
Twitter: @JFLTheatricals
TANYA LINK PRODUCTIONS (Producer).
Tanya’s Broadway credits include the Tonywinning The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time and Drama Desk-winning
Twelfth Night, with Mark Rylance. West End
productions include the Olivier-winning Sunny
Afternoon, Ghosts, Merrily We Roll Along and
Chimerica. www.tanyalinkproductions.com
JAM THEATRICALS (Producer), under
the direction of founders Arny Granat and
Steve Traxler, manages subscription series in
30 North American cities and operates the
National Theatre in Washington, D.C. The
company has produced more than 50 shows
on Broadway and is the recipient of nine Tony
awards.
INDEPENDENT PRESENTERS NETWORK
(Producer) includes 50 of America’s leading
Broadway presenters whose subscription bases
total 475,000. Broadway/London/U.S. tours:
On Your Feet!, An American in Paris, Kinky Boots,
The Bridges of Madison County, Matilda, Cinderella,
Pippin, Wonderland, Legally Blonde, The Color
Purple, Spamalot, Matthew Bourne’s Edward
Scissorhands and Sleeping Beauty.
CAROL FINEMAN (Producer). Broadway
producing credits: The Color Purple revival
(Tony & Grammy awards), After Midnight, Evita,
The Pee-wee Herman Show. She led the press
ATLANTA’S PERFORMING ARTS PUBLICATION 27

BIOS
department at the Public Theater under George
C. Wolfe. Highlight credits: Bring in ’da Noise,
Bring in ’da Funk; The Tempest; Elaine Stritch at
Liberty (downtown and Broadway). Managed
public relations for Broadway and off-Broadway
productions at Carol Fineman Publicity, a
firm she founded, and at Barlow-Hartman
Public Relations. Producer of the Drama
Desk and Obie Award-winning Worth Street
Theater (New York premiere of Christopher
Shinn’s Four, off-Broadway revival of The Normal
Heart, starring Raúl Esparza). VP Theatrical
Production/producer at Westfield. For Moose.
BESPOKE THEATRICALS (Consulting
Producer). Partners Amy Jacobs and Devin
Keudell manage Broadway musicals, plays and
tours. Current/recent productions include Cats,
Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour, The Curious Incident of
the Dog in the Night-Time national tour, Something
Rotten! and School of Rock. General managers in
the firm include Nathan Gehan, David Roth and
Danielle Saks.
MICHAEL ORSINO (Chief Operating Officer)
has enjoyed more than a decade working around
the world with TROIKA Entertainment,
touring several years as a stage manager and
company manager before landing in the office.
A Philadelphia native and a graduate of DeSales
University, Orsino is pleased to have settled
down in Maryland with his wife, Anissa, a
fellow tour veteran, and their sons Cameron and
Carson.
MICHELLE JONES (Chief Financial Officer)
joined TROIKA in 2017. She is responsible
for the financial, administrative and human
resources aspects of the company. She holds a B.S.
in business administration from the University
of Baltimore and a joint M.S. in accounting
and business advisory services from Towson
University and the University of Baltimore. Jones
is a certified public accountant (CPA) and a
part-time adjunct professor at the University of
Maryland Baltimore County.

CREDITS
Scenery by TTS Studios, Charleston, SC. Lighting equipment provided by
Christie Lites, East Rutherford, NJ. Audio equipment by Masque Sound,
East Rutherford, NJ. Costumes by Jennifer Love Costumers and Eric
Winterling, New York, NY. Music equipment furnished by Jonas Music, Indianapolis, IN. Millinery by Lynne Mackey Studio, New York, NY. Costume
Painting by Jeff Fender. Men's Shirts by Darcy Clothing Ltd. Custom Shoes
by LaDuca Shoes. Women's Undergarments provided by Bra*Tenders.
Production travel & housing by
ROAD REBEL ENTERTAINMENT TOURING, San Diego, CA
Rehearsed at RIPLEY-GRIER STUDIOS, New York, NY
Technical Rehearsals and Previews held at
PROCTORS in Schenectady, NY
www.ColorPurple.com
Facebook: @ColorPurpleMusical
Twitter: @BwayColorPurple
Instagram: @bwaycolorpurple
The Actors and Stage Managers employed in this production are
members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors
and Stage Managers of the United States.
Backstage employees are represented by the International
Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (or I.A.T.S.E.).
The Musicians, Conductors, Music Preparation Personnel and
Librarians employed in this production are members of the American
Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada.
The Press Agents and Company Managers employed in this production
are represented by the Association of Theatrical Press Agents &
Managers.
The Director and Choreographer are members of the Society of Stage
Directors and Choreographers, Inc., an independent national labor
union.
United Scenic Artists represents designers and scenic artists for the
American Theatre.
This production is produced by a member of The Broadway League in
collaboration with our professional union-represented employees.

ATLANTA’S PERFORMING ARTS PUBLICATION 29

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2. Take care of personal needs (drinks of water
or restroom) before the performance begins.
3.
Please silence or turn off all electronic
devices, including cell phones, beepers, and
watch alarms. We encourage you to share
your experience at the Fox via social media,
but please refrain from doing so or texting
during performances; the glow from your
device is distracting.
4. Most shows do not allow photography of
any kind. Flash photography inside the
theatre is never allowed as it is a distraction
to those around you and a danger to the
performers.
5. The overture is part of the performance.
Please cease talking at this point.
6.
Dear Lovebirds, when you lean your
heads together, you block the view of the
people behind you. Please consider the
people that will be seated behind you
when choosing whether or not to wear a
hat or what hair style you choose.
7. Please refrain from talking, humming, or
singing along with the show, except when
encouraged to do so by the artist or show.
8. Please wait for an appropriate moment to
dig something out of your pocket or bag.
9. Go easy with the perfume and cologne,
many people are highly allergic.
10. If you need assistance during the show,
please go to your nearest volunteer
usher. If additional assistance is needed
the usher will get the appropriate person
to further help you.
11. Yes, the parking lot gets busy and public
transportation is tricky, but leaving
while the show is in progress or before
the actors have taken their final bows is
discourteous. Wait until it is over and
then exit with the rest of the audience.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION
THE THEATER
A fully restored 1929 “Movie Palace,” the Fox Theatre, with
4,665 seats, is a multiple-purpose facility, housing Broadway
shows, ballet, symphonies, concerts, movies, and private
corporate events.
PRIVATE EVENTS
The Fox Theatre has three private rental spaces, with
accommodations for 25 to 1,200 guests. Our Egyptian Ballroom
and Grand Salon are beautifully decorated and can be set up
to your specifications. The Landmarks Lounge is adjacent to
the lobby and is perfect for a small pre-show and intermission
event. To book your “Fabulous Fox” evening, please call
404.881.2100 or visit us at www.foxtheatre.org.
TICKET OFFICE
The Fox Theatre Ticket Office is located in the arcade entrance
to the theatre. The Ticket Office is open for walk-up ticket sales
Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., and Saturday,10:00 a.m.3:00 p.m. The Fox Theatre Ticket Office is not open on Sundays
unless there is a performance. On event days, the Ticket Office
opens two hours prior to show time. Doors to the Fox open one
hour prior to show time. Tickets for all performances at the
Fox may be purchased online at www.FoxTheatre.org, all Ticket
Alternative outlets and all Atlanta-area Whole Foods Markets,
by calling
855-285-8499, or by visiting the Fox Theatre Ticket Office
in person during regular Box Office hours.
GROUP SALES
The Fox Theatre Group Sales Department offers discounts to
Groups for most Broadway shows. The Group Sales office is
open Monday-Friday from 9am to 5pm. Call 404 881-2000 or
email foxgroup@foxtheatre.org.
CONCESSIONS
Concession stands are located in the Spanish Room, main
lobby, and on the mezzanine lobby level.
RESTROOMS
Restrooms are located off the Main Lobby (downstairs),
Mezzanine Lobby levels, and the Gallery level. Accessible
restroom facilities are located in the Spanish Room and
Accessible/Family restrooms are located through the Office
door in the main lobby.
GIFT SHOP
The Fox Theatre operates a gift shop selling history books,
T-shirts, sweatshirts, and an assortment of other theatre-related
merchandise. The gift shop is located in the Spanish Room.
TOURS
Fox Theatre Tours are conducted Mondays and Thursdays at
10 AM, 11 AM, noon and 1 PM. Saturday tours are offered at 10
AM and 11 AM. Fox Theatre Tours are guided by Fox employees
well-versed in the Fox’s history, current events, awards, and
upcoming shows.
Tickets for Fox Theatre Tours are available at the Fox
Theatre Ticket Office or online at www.foxtheatre.org.
Special Tours can range from backstage to architectural to
a school or college group. Please contact the Fox Theatre by
calling 404.881.2100 to schedule your group tour.
LOST AND FOUND
Lost and found items are turned in to the Event Staff’s office.
To check on lost items, please call 404-881-2100. Lost and found
items will be retained for 30 days.

34 ENCOREATLANTA.COM

EMERGENCY INFORMATION
In the event of an emergency, and for your safety, please follow
the directions provided by the Fox Theatre staff.
SMOKING
In accordance with the Fulton County Clean Air Ordinance,
the Fox Theatre is a smoke-free facility. Smoking is only
permitted in designated areas.
ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY
The Fox Theatre strives to make events accessible to all guests.
If you require assistance during your visit to the Fox Theatre
please seek out or ask for one of our Accessible Ambassadors.
These staff members are attired in the traditional Fox Theatre
uniform however also have gold braid and white gloves to make
them easier to see. The Fox Theatre offers the use of wheelchairs,
listening devices and booster seats at no additional charge. Our
Ambassadors will assist you to special restroom accommodations.
Note: Steep Steps lead to all seats on the upper levels. For
assistance needed or additional information on programs, please
contact the Event Staff’s office at: 404-881-2119.
TICKETS
To purchase accessible seating at the Fox Theatre please call:
404-881-2016 Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM or
on Saturday, 10:00 AM-3:00 PM. A Fox Theatre Ticket Office
Associate will be happy to help you. Ticket buyers may also visit
the ticketing site at www.foxtheatre.org.
PROGRAMS PROVIDED
Opened Captioning Performance Sponsored in partnership
through TDF (Theatre Development Fund).

ELEVATORS
Elevators are located at the north end of each lobby. The elevators
are available during all performances and make it possible to access
each lobby without the use of stairs. Patrons should be aware that
access to upper seating areas do involve stairs.
PARKING
Parking is available within a four-block radius in all directions
of the Fox Theatre. Advanced reserved parking is available for
sale at the Fox Ticket Office or by calling 855-285-8499. The
Fox Theatre assumes no responsibility for vehicles parked in
any of the privately owned parking lots operating in the Fox
Theatre district.
PERFORMANCE NOTES
All patrons, regardless of age, must have a ticket in order to
be admitted to the theatre. Not all events are suitable for
children. Infants will not be admitted to adult programs/
performances. Parents will be asked to remove children who
create a disturbance.
Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the management,
in conjunction with the wishes of the producers.
Please turn off all pagers and cell phones prior to the
beginning of each performance.
Camera and recording devices are strictly prohibited.
Backstage employees are represented by the International
Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.)

T H E S PE L L BI N DI N G S E Q U E L T O

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPER A

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 3

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Macon, the city Otis Redding called home,
still thrums with great music, along with
history and good eats. | By Glennis Lofland

I

t doesn’t take much to get out of the stress
of life in Atlanta today. Though many of
us tend to look north toward the lakes,
Chattanooga and Asheville for a getaway, this
trip we’re thinking south.
Macon (population: 100,000) sits about 90
miles from downtown Atlanta. Its streets are
named for Southern hardwoods. Antebellum
and Victorian mansions rub up against each
other in the historic district and some roads
are still paved with brick.

36 ENCOREATLANTA.COM

You might recognize this juncture as
the place where I-75 traffic begins to creep.
Macon may live at a slower pace than metro
Atlanta, but it’s a welcome slow. If you’ve
never been, or haven’t been in a while, let fall
be your ticket out.
Jazz, soul and rock ’n’ roll
Macon’s largest claim to fame is music.
Get a taste of the scene on the first Friday
of every month, when art galleries, cafes,

MACON-BIBB COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

Wide café- and boutique-lined
boulevards are hallmarks of
downtown Macon. This is the view at
Cotton Avenue and Second Street.

boutiques and bars downtown open their
doors for live music. Amble from venue to
venue taking in everything, or choose your
favorite sound from among folk guitar, jazz
vocals, soul and rock.
The Tic Toc Room downtown —known as
Miss Anne’s Tic Toc Room in the 1940s — saw
Little Richard lay the foundation for rock ’n’
roll alongside such artists as Otis Redding,
James Brown, Chuck Liddell and Johnny
Jenkins. Today, the spot is a steakhouse and

martini bar, and Little Richard’s piano lives
around the corner at the Tubman Museum,
the largest museum of African-American art,
history and culture in the Southeast.
The Allman Brothers called Macon
home in the early 1970s, and today you can
tour their home at the Big House Museum,
which holds the largest collection of Allman
Brothers Band memorabilia. It’s also is a
venue for local musicians, with live music
weekly. If you go in the morning or early
ATLANTA’S PERFORMING ARTS PUBLICATION 37

TOP: Front view of the Hay House,
as seen from Georgia Avenue.
MIDDLE: The food doesn’t get more
Southern that what you’ll find at H&H
Restaurant, soul-feed mecca.
ABOVE: The entrance to the
reconstructed earthen mound at
Ocmulgee National Monument.

38 ENCOREATLANTA.COM

History — and pre-history
The Ocmulgee National Monument preserves
702 acres that have seen more than 17,000
years of human occupation. It features the
oldest preserved-earth lodge floor in the
nation, on view inside a reconstructed
earthen mound.
In the visitor’s center, you can learn about
the history of civilization in the area and
see more than 2,000 artifacts recovered by
archaeologists. Wear sensible shoes: a manytentacled trail system connects the mounds
(you can drive if you must). The trip up Temple
Mound is steep, but you’re rewarded with a
view of Macon’s steeple-speckled skyline and
the Ocmulgee River.
The Hay House, known as the “Palace of
the South,” is a seven-level Italian Renaissance
Revival mansion built in the mid-1800s during
the city’s time as a railroad hub. Portions are
being restored, but the extravagant first-floor
rooms are enough to transport you back to an
era of refinement and lavish entertainment.
Mercer University (8,600 students) is
Georgia’s oldest private university, founded
in 1833. Today it dominates the hill. You’ll see,
too, many 19th-century churches and homes,
plus the Cannonball House, the only Macon
structure damaged during the Civil War.

MACON-BIBB COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

afternoon, visit H&H Restaurant, the famous
soul-food spot whose owner became a second
mother to the bandmates.

FROM TOP: At night, the breezes of
downtown Macon thrum with music;
the casual menu at the Rookery
includes burgers and fairly famous
milkshakes.

Eat & drink downtown
Come full circle and, if the weather allows,
cap your tourist ways with a drink al fresco
at downtown’s Just Tap’d. The café doubles
as an art gallery and music venue, serving
artisanal appetizers like bruschetta, popcorn
and Neapolitan-style pizza alongside one of
the better beer selections in town. Don’t miss
the patio.
The highly walkable downtown is
country-town kind of beautiful with wide
boulevards and park-like medians with
more cafés, boutiques, restaurants and bars.
Cherry Street is ground zero and provides
plenty of dining options. Go casual at the
Rookery, known for its burgers, milkshakes
and outdoor patio. Go chic and Southern
at Dovetail, where the farm-to-table menu
includes deviled crab, boiled peanuts and
beef tenderloin.
Dessert? Yes, please.
Since there’s always room for ice cream,
visit Scoops down the block. It’s exactly
what’d you’d imagine a small-town ice-cream
shop to be.
It, too, has an outdoor patio. As evening
sets in, and if the breezes blow right, you
might just hear live music slipping out of an
open door, making your great day in a great
spot just a little bit sweeter.

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46 ENCOREATLANTA.COM

Her time on Season 16 of Lifetime’s “Project
Runway,” says Atlanta fashion designer Kenya
Freeman, was “the best experience ever.” You can
see how she’s doing at 9 p.m. Thursdays and at
Lifetime online.

he keeps two notebooks by her bed. As thoughts and
ideas interrupt her dreams, Kenya Freeman rolls over,
jots them down and goes back to sleep. By morning,
when the alarm clock sounds, she glances at her notebooks,
where often inspiration is born.
Freeman, a fashion designer for the Sylvia Mollie label,
is literally living her dream. She seeks inspiration from
everything and everyone. If it isn’t in her dreams, she finds it
in nature, in her surroundings and on the street. She’s always
conceptualizing.
So, while the Atlanta designer is living her dreams, it’s
also fair to say that her future is now. Look for Freeman on
Season 16 of the design show “Project Runway,” airing at 9 p.m.
Thursday on the Lifetime channel (and www.mylifetime.com).
We’ll give nothing away, but Freeman calls it “the best
experience ever” and hopes the exposure will elevate the Sylvia
Mollie line.
ATLANTA’S PERFORMING ARTS PUBLICATION 47

Kenya Freeman (top
right, center) says the
Sylvia Mollie woman is
a powerhouse whose
classic looks must
transition to evening,
be bold and make a
statement.
48 ENCOREATLANTA.COM

Freeman found fashion as a senior in high school, when she
signed up for a fashion co-op class and learned to create mood
boards and studied merchandising. It came so easily that her
mother enrolled her in fashion school.
In her first year in college, Freeman started sewing,
watching her designs transform from sketches to garments.
Everything still felt effortless and, for the first time, she felt like
she’d been given a gift. She felt like a designer. There’s a lot to
be said for a mother’s intuition.
Freeman embraces strong lines and architectural patterns
in her designs and fabric choices. Shape and texture — the feel
and the touch of a fabric —also play a part in her brand’s DNA
makeup. Her aesthetic comes from the allure of the classic
woman.
So, who is the Sylvia Mollie “woman”?
First, she has a name. Freeman calls her “Tony,” and
explains. “This is a powerhouse of a woman whose classic looks
must transition to evening,” she says. “Everything she wears has
to be bold, beautiful and make a statement.”
Flowing fabric, strength, a feminine touch and attention to
silhouette balance Sylvia Mollie’s timeless yet modern look.
Freeman’s personal and professional lives were uprooted,
tested and turned upside down when “Project Runway”
selected her as a cast member. Working under so much pressure
wasn’t easy, she says, but she resolutely “made it work.”

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Kenya Freeman on
her “Project Runway”
experience: “It was
great. It was emotionally
draining. It was fantastic.
I’ve never absorbed so
much caffeine.”
50 ENCOREATLANTA.COM

“Project Runway”
producer, mentor and co-host
Tim Gunn, by the way, is
wonderful, she says. The warm
and nurturing gentleman you
see on television is the same
off-air.
She’s contractually
obligated to keep “Project
Runway” secrets confidential
but did say this: “It was great.
It was emotionally draining. It
was fantastic. It was exciting
and stressful. I’ve never
absorbed so much caffeine.
I’ve never gotten up so early. Just to say that I am now a part of
the ‘Project Runway’ family is something few can say.”
Freeman wants to see her brand carried in such high-end
markets as Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf’s, look for Sylvia
Mollie is online at sylviamollie.com.

ATLANTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PERFORMING ARTS PUBLICATION 51

LET’S BE
FRIENDS

At Encore Atlanta, we love our fans.
That’s why we frequently give away
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HISTORIC
FOURTH
WARD
PARK

TICKETS AT TASTEOFATLANTA.COM

3 D AY S

1 0 0 + R E S TA U R A N T S

200+BITES

THE ENCORE ATLANTA

DINING GUIDE

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A GREAT NIGHT OUT? Try one of

these local restaurants before or after the show. For dinner-and-show
packages, visit encoreatlanta.com/offers.

LOBBY — The much-praised Lobby Bar
and Bistro is a stylish yet casual modern
American bistro that entices guests with its
tempting aromas and alluring atmosphere..
361 17th St. NE, 404.961.7370,
lobbyattwelve.com, M
ONE. MIDTOWN KITCHEN — This one-ofa-kind concept, located in a renovated
urban warehouse, offers approachable,
high-energy American cuisine. Whether
it is small plates or a three-course meal,
ONE adds gourmet flair using the freshest
seasonal ingredients. 559 Dutch Valley
Road, 404.892.4111, onemidtownkitchen.
com. M
54 ENCOREATLANTA.COM

AMERICAN
LIVINGSTON RESTAURANT AND BAR —
It’s hard to beat the location (across from the
Fox Theatre in the Georgian Terrace), and
diners get complimentary parking, but the
main attraction is the glamour of the main
dining room, which has hosted the likes of
Clark Gable, and the al fresco seating area.
659 Peachtree St. NE, 404.897.5000,
livingstonatlanta.com. M

THE ENCORE ATLANTA DINING GUIDE
246, among others. Lunch, dinner, Saturday
and Sunday brunch.. 4300 Paces Ferry Road,
404.205.8255, pacesandvine.com. V
PARISH — Unique people, delicious food
and good-for-the-Earth goods all come
together at this brasserie and neighborhood
café. Step off the BeltLine and join the vibrant
culture of Inman Park. Whether you go
upstairs to the brasserie or head downstairs
to the café, expect inspired familiar American
food, inventive beverages and warm
hospitality. 240 North Highland Ave. NE,
404.681.4434, parishatl.com. OFW
SOHO — American-style bistro offers fish
and seafood, beef, game and poultry,
with gluten-free lunch and dinner options,
plus their specially-priced Cobb Energy
Centre theater menu will get you in and
out with plenty of time to make the performance; just show your tickets to your
server. Different weekly “wine and tapas”
flights debut each Wednesday night.
Vinings Jubilee, 4300 Paces Ferry Road,
770.801.0069, sohoatlanta.com. V
TWO URBAN LICKS — Heats up the Atlanta
restaurant scene with its fiery American
cooking. The experience available at TWO
urban licks has made it one of the city’s
busiest restaurants on a nightly basis.
820 Ralph McGill Blvd., 404.522.4622,
twourbanlicks.com. M

MEXICAN
ALMA — A refreshing approach to contemporary Mexican cuisine. Bright, fresh ingredients and traditional regional influences come
together with other Latin American flavors in
vibrant dishes that feel familiar and new all
at once. 191 Peachtree St. NE, 404.968.9662,
alma-atlanta.com. D
EL TACO — An eco-friendly watering hole
serving fresh Mexican food made with
all-natural meats and tasty margaritas.
1186 North Highland Ave. NE, 404.873.4656,
eltaco-atlanta.com.VH
SPANISH/IBERIAN FUSION
GYPSY KITCHEN — The culinary riches of
Spain, influenced by Moroccan and Indian
cuisines; sharable Spanish snacks and plates
served in a stylish modern atmosphere in
The Shops Buckhead Atlanta.
3035 Peachtree Rd., NE, Suite A209,
404.939.9840, gypsykitchenatl.com. B
SEAFOOD/SUSHI
LURE — A modern interpretation of a classic
fish house with a focus on seasonality and
freshness. 1106 Crescent Ave., 404.817.3650.
lure-atlanta.com. M
VEGAN
HERBAN FIX — With a mission to share
the best fusion vegan cuisine with local
residents, businesses and visitors, Herban
Fix offers a fusion vegan menu to let you
experience the most iconic food throughout
different parts of Asia. Taking inspiration
from various cuisines, the menu at Herban
Fix is carefully crafted and plated and all the
dishes are designed for sharing. Ingredients
are premium select, organic, fresh and aimed
at good health as well as great taste.
565-A Peachtree Street NE, 404.815.8787. M

Valid for 30 days. Void where prohibited by law. No cash value. For promotional purposes only. Not valid towards gift card purchases. One per table.
Valid at participating restaurants only. Not valid at airport locations. Alcohol purchase may be prohibited. Not valid with any other offer or discount.
no stored value. Must be used in a single visit. A printed copy of this offer or a digital copy via mobile device must be presented to your server to qualify
for this discount. Excludes tax and gratuity. Must be 21 years or older to consume alcohol. Promo to 10off20ATL.

10

$

®

off at participating

Concentrics
Restaurants

Minimum purchase of $20 required. Present this ad to your server
to receive this special offer. One per table. Does not include alcohol,
tax or gratuity. Cannot be combined with any other offer. No cash
value. Dine in only. Visit us at concentricsrestaurants.com

Let us FIX your meal on your
next restaurant outing!
Named top restaurant
in Georgia in 2016 by
YELP and USA TODAY
Best of Atlanta
Vegan Restaurant
award from Atlanta
Magazine in 2016

Private event room available for birthdays, company events and holiday parties.
PMS 7529

PMS 7533

PMS 484

ATLANTA’S PERFORMING ARTS PUBLICATION 57

FRIENDS
OF THE FOX
Members of the Fox Theatre’s Friends of the Fox program help support the
Fox Theatre Institute, the theater’s community engagement arm.
The Fox Theatre’s legend lives on through their generosity, supporting
the theater, the city of Atlanta and communities across Georgia.

The Fox Theatre would like to thank the following
Friends of the Fox who have given at the Legend ($10,000),
Marquee ($5,000), Encore ($2,500) and
Entourage ($1,000) levels:

Storied theater comes with lots of stories
The Fox Theatre opened almost 88 years ago, on Christmas Day in 1929. That’s plenty of time to develop a
mythology — tall tales that are new, some that may be true and others that are plain fiction. Here’s a look
at some of them.

Myth: The feature film Gone With the Wind
premiered at the Fox Theatre.
False: Gone With the Wind premiered at the Loew’s
Grand Theatre at Peachtree and Forsyth streets
downtown.
Myth: The crystal for one of the stars in the sky was
replaced with the bottom of a Coca-Cola bottle.
True: The glass piece pictured above was recently
found in the auditorium’s sky (near House Left).
Myth: The arcade was once a bowling alley.
False: There once was a bowling alley north
of the Fox on Peachtree Street. People may be
remembering that.
Myth: The arcade was built as a gym or pool for the
Shriners.
False: It’s just a grand entrance.
Myth: People have been stuck in the elevators
overnight.
True: A former Fox Theatre staff member was
unable to get out of an elevator after a ballroom
event. He was stuck for the night
60 ENCOREATLANTA.COM

Myth: The original theater entrance was on Ponce
de Leon Avenue.
True: The entrance was moved to Peachtree Street
during design and construction.
Myth: The Fox Theatre is haunted.
Plausible: Some security camera footage seems to
show floating objects in stairwells at night.
Myth: The theater was almost demolished in the
1970s.
True: The Fox closed in 1974. A corporation wanted
to buy it, tear it down and build its headquarters
on the site. The efforts of many in the greater
Atlanta community helped save the landmark.
Myth: Much of the theater’s original furniture has
been replaced with modern-made replicas.
False: About 97 percent of the furniture you see is
original to the building and dates to opening day
in 1929.
Myth: The theater was originally intended to show
only William Fox’s movies.
False: It was built to serve as a meeting and party
space for the Shriners and as a civic auditorium for
performances. Midway through construction, the
Shriners ran out of money and William Fox agreed
to lease the auditorium for his films and to finance
the rest of construction.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FOX THEATRE INSTITUTE

Myth: There was an old shooting range in the
basement’s plaster shop.
Plausible: The holes in the plaster shop’s back wall
may have been made by electrical workers testing
their Ramset nail guns.

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